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The parents of Kate Middleton, Michael, and Carole Middleton attended the fourth day of Wimbledon today, sparking questions about whether and when Princess Catherine will attend the tennis tournament.

Some wonder if Kate’s mom and dad were there on behalf of their daughter. Kate, who is still recovering from her cancer treatment, must adhere to her doctor’s advice.

Kate’s Stand-In, Prince William, May Also Be Unavailable To Hand Out Trophies

Even if Kate Middleton doesn’t show up, her stand-in, Prince William, may not be available either. His diary depends on Gareth Southgate, an English professional football team manager.

The team could compete in the Euro Championships final at Wimbledon last weekend. If neither attends, former President of the Lawn Tennis Association Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, and wife of Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Prince Richard, may have to present trophies.

Carole and Michael were in the Royal...

Today, Prime Video, Cricket Australia, and Whooshka Media released the official trailer for The Test Season 3. The third installment of Prime Video’s biggest Australian sports documentary series will be released globally on Friday, May 24. The three-part series will show all the raw and emotional moments from the highly publicized 2023 English Ashes season.

The Test Season 3 follows the Australian men’s cricket team as they embark on a grueling tour of England. They face off against cricket’s two great superpowers: India in The World Test Final, against a star-studded lineup featuring the legendary Virat Kohli, and England in the Ashes, who have redefined their game under Ben Stokes with their hyper-aggressive “BazBall” style of play.

This season will explore the untold, emotional, and personal stories behind the iconic sporting moments as the players are confronted with merciless opponents, hostile crowds, and the pressure of a legacy-defining tour.

Players such as Pat Cummins,...

Highest-Paid Indian Players At Ipl 2024: Kl Rahul, Virat Kohli & More! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ipl 2024 has gotten the Indians hooked to their Television screens. Aren’t we all rooting for our favorite celebrities and their teams? But have you ever wondered how much the leading cricketers earn in salary? You’ll be surprised to learn Ms Dhoni earns much less than Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer. Scroll below for a detailed analysis of the top 10 highest-earning players.

Auctions in the Indian Premier League are quite intriguing. It is worth noting that international cricketers earn considerably more than our Indian cricketers. Mitchell Starc, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, tops the 2024 list with earnings of 24.75 crores. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Pat Cummins and Punjab Kings’ Sam Curran are among others who take home handsome salaries.

Here’s a list of the highest-earning Indian cricket players at Ipl 2024:

Kl Rahul...

Shikhar Dhawan Got Divorced From Wife Ayesha Mukherjee in 2021. (Photo Credit – IMDb/Instagram)

Punjab Kings Captain Shikhar Dhawan has received much love for leading his team to a win against Delhi Capitals in Ipl 2024. Dhawan’s cricket career has been a whirlwind and rollercoaster ride simultaneously. From being player of the match in many tournaments to breaking records in Ipl, he has seen it all. But his personal life led to his setback in the game some time ago. Shikhar‘s once-upon-a-time fairytale romance turned bitter quickly. His story is full of heartbreak and turmoil, which ended in a bitter divorce from his ex-wife, Ayesha Mukherjee.

Shikhar Dhawan & Ayesha Mukherjee’s Marriage

Dhawan met Mukherjee, who is a Melbourne-based boxer, through Facebook. The two were introduced by Dhawan’s teammate and famous Indian Cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Dhawan and Ayesh fell in love despite the hurdles they faced. She was already...

Preity Zinta On Ms Dhoni In Her Ipl Team. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Among several Bollywood stars, Preity Zinta is one of them who co-owns a cricket team for the Indian Premier League (Ipl). Formed in 2008, the team was formerly known as Kings XI Punjab (Kxip). However, the name was changed to Punjab Kings (Pbks), a few years ago. Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul and Preity jointly own the cricket team.

In an interview in the past, Preity Zinta said that she wanted Mahendra Singh Dhoni, aka Ms Dhoni, to be on her team. However, she was aware that it was not going to happen. In the same interview, the Veer Zaara star said she wasn’t a big fan of Dhoni when the Ipl started. But she started admiring his work as time passed by.

As reported by India Today, during an Ipl event in 2018, Preity Zinta was asked...

Salary Comparison Between Rishabh Pant Vs Shikhar Dhawan & Shreyas Iyer Vs Pat Cummins – Ipl 2024. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The fever of Ipl 2024 has started spreading over the entire nation, as yesterday marked the first big match of the latest season. Today, two big matches are scheduled to take place. The first one is between Punjab Kings (Pbks) and Delhi Capitals (DC); the second one is between Kolkata Knight Riders (Kkr) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (Srh). It’ll also be a battle of captaincy between Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins. Keep reading to know more!

For those who don’t know, Shikhar is leading the team of Punjab Kings, while Delhi will be playing the game under Rishabh’s captaincy. Kolkata has a leader in the form of Shreyas; Pat will handle the Hyderabad team. All these four players have already proved mettle on multiple occasions, so it didn...

Shah Rukh Khan Co-Owns Ipl Team Kolkata Knight Riders With Juhi Chawla ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Ipl Auctions 2024, last year was as interesting as it could be, and the world saw Shah Rukh Khan & Juhi Chawla‘s team, Kolkata Knight Riders, making the biggest bid ever in the history of the Ipl season. The bidding table was led by Gautam Gambhir while they sealed the bid for the costliest player in the history of Ipl.

The bid was made on the Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc, who is a bowler and has played in the Ipl twice, in 2014 and 2015. The cricketer will be returning to the series this year after Srk’s team bought him at a hefty price.

Mitchell cost Kolkata Knight Riders a whopping 24.75 crore, and he pushed Pat Cummins, who was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 20.50 crore in the same auction, to number 2 in a few minutes. Mitchell and Pat pushed Sam Curran,...

Durban, Aug 31 (Ians) Australia have handed big-hitting finisher Tim David a maiden Odi call-up for the upcoming series against South Africa, giving him the chance to make a last-minute entry into a World Cup squad for the second time in as many years.

David smashed 64 off just 28 balls to play a pivotal role in Australia’s 111-run win over South Africa in the T20I series opener. His addition in the Odi squad boosts the Australian middle-order missing Steve Smith (wrist injury), and Glenn Maxwell (ankle injury and impending the birth of his first child).

“Tim is already here for the T20 series which offers an opportunity to see how his game can translate to the one-day format. He will provide an extra option for us in that power role at the back end of an innings,” said selector Tony Dodemaide

Due to his career as a globe-trotting T20 finisher,...

Sydney (Australia), Aug 29 (Ians) The Ashes 2023 left many controversial moments in cricket, among the most talked about one was Jonny Bairstow’s run-out by Alex Carey, as he walked out of the crease prematurely after avoiding a short-pitched delivery.

The run-out left the cricketing world in shock, as both the team’s ex-cricketers got involved in the banter. Some justified the run-out, whereas others took it as a spirit of game moment.

English skipper went on to say, “I wouldn’t want to win a game in that manner.”

In a video posted by 7Cricket on X, previously Twitter, Marnus Labuschagne relieved the moment and revealed David Warner’s reaction when Bairstow questioned whether the Australian team was happy with the outcome.

“I was in the lunchroom! Jonny was fuming. Sky crew played the dismissal on repeat, and everyone was watching it. Seeing us all engrossed, he asked if we were happy with it.

Perth, Aug 25 (Ians) Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s stand-in skipper for the upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa, believes that him stepping away from the captaincy of Perth Scorchers in the Bbl to focus on himself has helped in him being a bit wiser about how to be a leader in the sport.

“I think it’s been a progression over the last four or five years. When I gave up the Scorchers captaincy to focus on myself and where I was at in my life and my career, I didn’t think I had the capacity to captain any side at that point in time because I was just striving so much to try and hold my spot and get my spot back in the Test and one-day teams,” Marsh was quoted as saying bycodesports.com.au.

12 months ago Marsh did not wish to be thought of as Australia’s white ball skipper,...

Sydney, Aug 24 (Ians) Australia’s Test skipper Pat Cummins believes that the after-effect of the stumping of England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow effected by Alex Carey during the Lord’s Test in the 2023 Ashes series made him like the fact that a lot of people got involved with the sport.

On day five’s play in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, Bairstow was on 10 in the 52nd over when he ducked under a bouncer from Cameron Green and inadvertently walked out of his crease.

Carey immediately directed an underarm throw after catching the delivery, and jumped in joy after firing his throw at the stumps. On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney sent the decision upstairs, where TV umpire Marais Erasmus confirmed Bairstow’s dismissal.

The dismissal drew a furious reaction from the fans, who started to chant “same old Aussies, always cheating”, and booed the visitors for the rest of the day,...

Hobart, Aug 18 (Ians) Former captain Ricky Ponting believes that the entire Australia side was left “scratching their head” over how to counter England’s Bazball style of play as the Ashes series progressed, adding that the 2-2 scoreline was a fair result.

Australia were 2-0 up in the Ashes with thrilling wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s. But the Ben Stokes-led England team bounced back by winning at Headingley and despite being in control of the game at Manchester, rain enabled a draw, meaning Australia retained the Ashes.

Australia’s chance of winning the Ashes series for the first time since 2001 ended when England won by 49 runs at The Oval, especially after a ball change brought bowlers back into the game, with the series ending at 2-2.

“The two contrasting styles of play were great to sit back and watch. There was a lot of talk about Bazball and how England would approach it,...

Dubai, Aug 18 (Ians) Legendary Australia cricketer Mike Hussey believes the current 50-over side has a great chance of winning the 2023 Men’s Odi World Cup to be held in India this year, citing the positive factor of the present group of players being together for a long time.

Hussey won the 2007 Men’s Odi World Cup with Australia in West Indies and more recently played a major role in helping England claim their maiden Men’s T20 World Cup title last year as a member of their coaching setup. Australia had reached the semifinals of the 2019 Men’s Odi World Cup, where they lost to eventual champions England.

“I think Australia’s got a great chance as they have kept a (large) group of players together for a period of time now. They all know their roles pretty well and they’ve got a bit of continuity in their team as well.

Cricket Unfiltered notches up a significant milestone next week celebrating its 10 year anniversary on August 21st. The podcast was founded in 2013 by Andrew Menczel (aka Menners) and was the first ever regular weekly cricket podcast in Australia and was a pioneering show for all sports podcasts.

The show started as The Australian Cricket Podcast with hosts Andrew Menczel, James MacSmith and Joe Karsay and then rebranded as 'Cricket Unfiltered' in 2017.

Menners began the show because he felt Aussie cricket podcast fans needed a show about their team because the only cricket podcasts were mainly concerned with the old enemy, England! Menners on starting the show "I went on an English cricket podcast and I thought Aussie fans deserve a podcast! I have always wanted to do a great show for cricket fans and especially fans of the Aussie cricket team".

The show started just before The Oval Ashes Test in...

Melbourne, Aug 15 (Ians) Australia captain Pat Cummins has given every indication he will be fit for this year’s Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup by declaring his injured wrist is recovering well and he is on track to return prior to the six-week tournament in India.

Cummins fractured his wrist while batting during the final Ashes Test against England at The Oval last month and was initially diagnosed to be sidelined for up to six weeks ahead of Australia’s first game at the World Cup against hosts India on October 8.

But Cummins has allayed any fears that he will be battling to prove his fitness prior to that clash, with the fast bowler aiming to travel to South Africa next month to join up with his teammates during their five-match series against the Proteas and then return to playing during the three-game series against India at the end of September.

Melbourne, Aug 7 (Ians) Australia have announced some surprise selections in their 18-player squad for this year’s Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and inexperienced all-rounder Aaron Hardie are the surprise inclusions, with Test star Marnus Labuschagne the notable omission from Australia’s squad that will be reduced to 15 players closer to the start of the tournament on October 5, reports Icc.

Under Icc regulations squads must be finalised prior to September 28, with Australia’s first game at this year’s World Cup coming against hosts India in Chennai on October 8.

Captain Pat Cummins will be racing against the clock to be fit for that opening contest, after it was revealed the fast bowler picked up a fractured wrist during the recent Ashes series against England.

Cummins has been advised to let the injured area rest for six weeks and the right-armer is hoping to...

Sydney, Aug 3 (Ians) Former Australia cricketer Ian Chappell believes captains were partly to blame for the lack of leg-spin options in the current Test team, saying skippers are yet to understand how wrist-spin bowling works in the longest format of the game.

In the last 10 years, off-spinner Nathan Lyon has led Australia’s spin attack in Tests. But his series-ending calf injury during the second Ashes Test meant Australia had to use young off-spinner Todd Murphy in two of the remaining three games. It deprived Australia of control from the other end as England came back from 2-0 down to end the series at 2-2.

Ever since Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill retired from Tests in 2007 and 2008 respectively, Australia haven’t got a quality leg-spinner who has managed to be a regular in the Test side. “I don’t know whether it’s just the lack of wrist spin bowling...

London, Aug 3 (Ians) England’s opening batter Zak Crawley believes that becoming braver against Australia on purpose, coupled with backing from coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has been one of the big reasons behind his achieving success in the recently concluded Ashes.

Crawley ended the recently-concluded Ashes as England’s leading run-scorer with 480 runs in nine innings at an average of 53.3 and strike rate of 88.72. The opener’s place in the Test team was under threat after averaging 23 in last year’s home summer.

“I thought if I could put them under pressure a bit more, it might give me more of a chance. I was certainly braver against them, and that was on purpose. The pitches were good early in this series and thankfully it came off on a few occasions.”

“The messaging was always the same from them (McCullum and Stokes). So I decided to fully...

London, Aug 3 (Ians) Brendon McCullum, the head coach of the England Test team, seems to have had a change of heart over his comment that he would never share a beer with the Australian players following the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow during the Ashes 2023 series.

“I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer with them any time soon. You’ve got to live with the decisions you make,” McCullum had told the BBC after Bairstow was run out by Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey in the Lord’s Test after the former stepped out of the crease prematurely after avoiding a short-pitched delivery.

The former New Zealand captain McCullum, the architect of England’s ‘Bazball’ tactics along with skipper Ben Stokes, oversaw the team’s 2-2 draw with Australia in the 2023 series, their efforts to press home their advantage in the fourth Test thwarted by inclement weather.

With the series done and dusted,...

London, Aug 1 (Ians) England head coach Brendon McCullum compared the Ashes series to a clash between two heavyweight boxers, emphasising the formidable strength of both sides involved, after the conclusion of the fifth and final game at The Oval.

England overcame the Pat Cummins-led Australia by 49 wickets in the fifth Test at The Oval as a magnificent Ashes series came to an end with a 2-2 scoreline.

“Amazing to be part of this series. Two incredible cricket teams with contrasting styles much like a heavyweight boxing fight and it lived up to the billing. It was really special. I am very proud of the way our boys stayed very strong about what we wanted to do throughout the series. It is a nice reflection of a great series,” McCullum told Sky Sports.

McCullum also lauded star pacer Stuart Broad, who called time on his Test career at the end of the series,...

London, Aug 1 (Ians) Australia’s Test skipper Pat Cummins was left to rue missing a golden opportunity for his side to claim a first Ashes triumph on English soil in 22 years after the visitors settled for a 2-2 draw in the series but feeling “proud of retaining the urn”.

A compelling Ashes series came to a thrilling climax on Monday when England registered a 49-run victory in the fifth and final Test of a closely fought series at The Oval, with the result meaning the five-match series finished tied at 2-2.

While the final scoreline means Australia retain the Ashes for a fourth straight series, the tourists will be disappointed they failed to capitalise on the 2-0 lead they opened up early in the series and missed the chance to record a first series triumph on English soil since 2001.

“We just missed what we were hoping to come over here to achieve,...

Canberra, Aug 1 (Ians) Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday congratulated the Australian senior men’s team on its successful tour of England during which it won the World Test Championship (Wtc) title for the first time.

On the three-month-long tour of England, the Australians completed a unique double — winning their maiden World Test Championship title and retaining the Ashes. The Ashes series finished tied 2-2 after England won the fifth Test at The Oval on Monday.

The Ashes and World Test Championship victories comprised an exciting and physically demanding period in which the Australians played six Test matches in eight weeks, Cricket Australia said in a release on Tuesday.

“We are all enormously proud of Pat Cummins and his team for all they have achieved on their tour of England,” Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia, chief executive, said:

“The squad was determined to return with the World Test Championship trophy and the Ashes,...

London, July 31 (Ians) Veteran fast-bowler Stuart Broad got his perfect fairytale ending to a glorious cricketing career by picking the last two wickets as England beat Australia by 49 runs in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval on Monday to level an enthralling series 2-2.

Resuming from 135 for no loss, Australia were going great guns with all ten wickets in hand, before a ball change in the 37th over took their top three batters out. Steve Smith and Travis Head led Australia’s recovery before the rain came in.

After the two-hour rain break ended, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali blew Australia away as four wickets fell for only 11 runs. Todd Murphy and Alex Carey frustrated England for a brief period as Australia went from 264 for three to 294 for 8.

To get some luck on his side, Broad swapped bails around at the bowler’s end and got the...

London, July 29 (Ians) Zak Crawley, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow blasted half-centuries as England scored close to 400 runs on the third day of the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2023 series, taking a massive 377-run lead against Australia at The Oval on Saturday.

Crawley blasted a 75-ball 73, Root blazed to 91 off 106 deliveries while Jonny Bairstow hammered 78 off 103 balls as England continued with their Bazball tactics as they reached 389/9 in 80 overs at stumps on the third day.

Opener Ben Duckett (42) and skipper Ben Stokes (42) nearly reached their half-centuries as England snatched away the initiative from Australia after being bowled out for 283 in their first innings. The hosts came back to restrict Australia to 295 and then turned the game in their favour with high-tempo scoring that left the Aussies gasping for most of the day.

England would hope to add a few more runs, maybe reach the psychological barrier of 400 runs...

London, July 29 (Ians) Former England captain Michael Vaughan has said that some of Australia’s batting on day two of the final Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval was the worst and he has never seen Aussies play with so much fear.

Half-century from Steve Smith, along with vital contributions from captain Pat Cummins and off-spinner Todd Murphy helped Australia take a lead of 12 runs against England after being bowled for 295 in the closing stages of the play on Friday.

Throughout the Day 2, Australia were content with a tentative approach as England’s seamers bowled with immense control and discipline.

“They are taking home the urn, but I’ve never seen Australia play with so much fear. They are usually so aggressive and try to take the game forward,” Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special.

“They have just sat in to bat a long period of time without remembering you have...

London, July 28 (Ians) Gritty half-century from premier batter Steve Smith, along with vital contributions from captain Pat Cummins and off-spinner Todd Murphy helped Australia take a lead of 12 runs against England after being bowled for 295 on day two of fifth Ashes Test at The Oval, here on Friday.

After being 185-7 at one stage, Australia were eventually bowled out for 295 in 103.1 overs on the last ball of a riveting day two’ play and managed to take a lead. Smith top-scored with 71 off 123 balls, and was supported by Usman Khawaja (47), Cummins (36) and Murphy (34).

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will walk out for the start of England’s second innings on day three’s play, with the real intrigue over who bats at number three following Moeen Ali’s groin injury which prevented him from bowling on day two.

Resuming day two from 62-1, Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne resumed proceedings with caution,...

London, July 28 (Ians) Australia had a productive outing on day one of the fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval, bowling out England for 283 before openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner made a solid start with the bat, here on Thursday.

Khawaja (26 not out) and Marnus Labuschagne (2 not out) were unbeaten at the crease, with Australia ending on 61/1 at stumps on Day 1, trailing England by 222 runs.

Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Pat Cummins and his men had to face a slog at the start, with England coming out all guns blazing. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley took the aggressive route, attacking the Australian pacers.

Australia got their first breakthrough with Mitchell Marsh dismissing Ben Duckett for 41 in the 12th over. The next over saw Cummins dismiss Crawley for 22. Australia continued building on their momentum, with Joe Root being dismissed by Hazlewood in the 16th over.

Moeen Ali...

London, July 26 (Ians) Australian captain Pat Cummins has said that he feels more rejuvenated heading to the Oval for the fifth and final Test in comparison to the 2019 tour as his team chases its first Ashes series win on English soil in 22 years.

Cummins recalls the final game of the 2019 series as the sole occasion when he was concerned about potentially missing a Test due to fatigue as Australia played the World Cup before the Test series. Despite his worries, he managed to take five wickets and bowled the most overs among Australia’s fast bowlers.

“I remember turning up here in 2019 for the fifth Test and I was wrecked. It’s probably the only time in my career where I thought I genuinely might not be able to play. But I still did a decent job then. And I feel in a much better position now.

“There have been a couple of little breaks.

New Delhi, July 26 (Ians) England’s quest for winning the Ashes 2023 ended when day five of the fourth Test was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Old Trafford. It meant the Ben Stokes-led side could not push for a victory, as England played a draw for the first time since they changed their approach to playing Test cricket.

With one more match to go at The Oval, starting from Thursday, England will aim to draw the series at 2-2, a situation similar to the one they faced and emerged victorious from in the 2019 Ashes.

Ahead of the fifth Test, Alastair Cook, England’s highest run-scorer in Tests, spoke exclusively to Ians about the Ashes and how the hosts could have won the series.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q. What are your views on the ongoing Ashes, which has been a very thrilling and exciting series to watch till now?...

London, July 24 (Ians) Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has claimed that skipper Pat Cummins and left-arm fast-bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc look “really tired” ahead of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, starting from Thursday.

Australia have retained the Ashes 2-1, with the Test at The Oval now only three days away. Cummins has carried a heavy workload, playing in all of Australia’s Tests since the World Test Championship Final in June. Starc, on the other hand, hurt his shoulder while fielding at Manchester.

“What worries me, not just about Pat but also with ‘Starcy’ going into the fifth Test, is they both look really tired. Not just looking at them with their body language, I thought the speeds of their bowling (were an issue). When Patty is bowling low 130s (km/h), I think that’s a concern.”

“Starcy had something wrong with his shoulder from diving,...

London, July 24 (Ians) Former England cricketer David Lloyd believes that despite Australia facing a challenging situation in the fourth Test and the match being washed out, the visitors deserved to retain the Ashes.

Rain washed away England’s hopes of levelling the series on day five of the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester as Australia retained their hold on the Ashes.

“For all the problems that would be perceived with the Australian cricket team, they came into Old Trafford with a 2-1 series lead. We can’t forget that and it was England who had to make all the run in this Test,” Lloyd said on Sen 1170 Breakfast.

“Australia parked the bus, filled the team full of batters and didn’t play a spinner. By whatever means, they got the result which means that retain the Ashes and that’s what it’s all about.

“You move on to The...

New Delhi, July 24 (Ians) Former England captain Michael Vaughan described the Australian cricket team as fortunate in retaining the Ashes, pointing out that rain helped the visitors.

The entire final day of the fourth Test was lost due to rain in Manchester on Sunday and the drawn match. The result means that the Ashes urn will be headed back to Australia regardless of the outcome in the fifth Test of an enthralling series at The Oval that starts on Thursday.

England needed five wickets to force a win with Australia needing 61 runs to force the hosts into batting again. The Ben Stokes-led side was in a dominant position for the majority of the match, but they were denied a crack at victory due to rain not allowing any play to happen on day five.

Highlighting Australia’s dependency on rain, Vaughan claimed that Pat Cummins-led side were rattled...

Manchester, July 24 (Ians) Australia captain Pat Cummins said his team will refrain from celebrating the fact they have retained the Ashes and will put all their efforts into winning the final Test of the series in London and claiming a first series triumph on England soil since 2001.

The entire final day of the fourth Test was lost due to rain here on Sunday and the drawn match ensured Australia holds on to their 2-1 series lead and will retain the Ashes yet again regardless of the outcome in the fifth Test of an enthralling series at The Oval that starts on Thursday.

And while Cummins admits Australia had achieved what they set out to do at the start of the tour by regaining the Ashes, the captain feels there is some unfinished business within the squad and is eyeing off a first series triumph in England for 22 years.

“It’s...

Manchester, July 23 (Ians) After the fourth Ashes Test ended in a draw at Old Trafford due to rain washing off play on the fifth day, England captain Ben Stokes admitted that the end result was tough to take but added that is part of the journey.

England needed five wickets to win the match with Australia needing 61 runs to force the hosts into batting again. The Ben Stokes-led side were in dominant position for the majority of the match, but have been denied a crack at victory due to rain not allowing any play to happen on day five.

The result means that the Ashes urn will be headed back to Australia after this series ends. It’s also the first time that England have played a draw under Stokes’ leadership. “It is a tough one to take, playing the cricket we did over the first three days, but it...

Manchester, July 20 (Ians) Opener Zak Crawley slammed a magnificent 189 off 182 deliveries and put England in commanding position against Australia as hosts were 384-4 with a vital lead of 67 runs at stumps on day two of the fourth Ashes 2023 Test at Old Trafford, here on Thursday.

With an eye on the weather in Manchester coming into play on days four and five, Crawley led England’s batting charge from the front, hitting 12 fours and a maximum to hit a sensational maiden Ashes century in just 93 balls, as Australia were left rattled by the opener’s blazing knock.

Moeen Ali justified him being slotted on number three with a knock of 54 before Mitchell Starc took him out. Crawley and Joe Root (84 off 95 balls) joined forces to hit a jaw-dropping 178 runs from 25 overs in an extraordinary show of stroke-play in the second session, as England bossed the day’s play, leaving Australia listless.

Manchester, July 20 (Ians) Opener Zak Crawley slammed a magnificent 189 off 182 deliveries and put England in commanding position against Australia as hosts were 384-4 with a vital lead of 67 runs at stumps on day two of the fourth Ashes 2023 Test at Old Trafford, here on Thursday.

With an eye on the weather in Manchester coming into play on days four and five, Crawley led England’s batting charge from the front, hitting 12 fours and a maximum to hit a sensational maiden Ashes century in just 93 balls, as Australia were left rattled by the opener’s blazing knock.

Moeen Ali justified him being slotted on number three with a knock of 54 before Mitchell Starc took him out. Crawley and Joe Root (84 off 95 balls) joined forces to hit a jaw-dropping 178 runs from 25 overs in an extraordinary show of stroke-play in the second session, as England bossed the day’s play, leaving Australia listless.

Manchester, July 20 (Ians) England cricketer Moeen Ali on Thursday entered an exclusive club of men’s Test all-round cricketers, who have the double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, on day two of ongoing fourth Ashes 2023 Test at Old Trafford, here.

Coming out to bat at number three, Ali was unbeaten on 31 at lunch. He became the 16th men’s cricketer to achieve the Test all-rounders’ double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets.

Moeen had 200 wickets and 2,977 runs in Test cricket before the start of the ongoing Ashes Test at Old Trafford. He crossed 3000 Test runs after hitting back-to-back fours off Australia captain Pat Cummins in the 14th over, as England reached 61-1 at lunch.

“I think we forget what a good young batter Moeen was. Anyone watching a young Moeen growing up would say ‘this lad can bat’. ‘That is the reason he has said he wants to bat at No 3’.

“He will...

Manchester, July 19 (Ians) Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad made impactful contributions to give England first day honours in the fourth Ashes 2023 Test as Australia were 299-8 at stumps at Old Trafford, here on Thursday.

Woakes picked 4-52 in 18.5 overs to be England’s best bowler of the day, while Broad took 2-68 in 14 overs. During the opening day, Broad also reached 600 Test wickets, becoming just the second fast bowler and fifth bowler overall to reach the landmark.

It was a day where all Australian batters got starts, but none converted it into a big total.

After England elected to bowl first as skipper Ben Stokes went against the narrative of batting first, Broad moved to 599 Test wickets when he trapped Usman Khawaja lbw for three early in the morning session. David Warner shared a second-wicket stand of 46 with Marnus Labuschagne (51), before being dismissed by Woakes for 42.

Steve Smith looked set...

Dubai, July 19 (Ians) India captain Rohit Sharma returned to the top 10 in the latest Icc Men’s Test batting rankings, released on Wednesday, while young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made his maiden appearance after a stunning century on debut.

Rohit and Jaiswal played pivotal roles in India’s comprehensive victory over the West Indies with superb centuries in the opening Test of the two-match Icc World Test Championship series in Dominica.

The 36-year old Rohit played a 103 run-knock which helped India captain rise three places and re-enter the top 10 once again, to be rated slightly ahead of compatriot Rishabh Pant (11th) and former skipper Virat Kohli (14th) as the highest-ranked Indian batter.

On the other hand, Jaiswal entered the batting rankings in 73rd place following his magnificent innings of 171 from 387 deliveries against the West Indies in what was his first Test for his country.

The 21-year-old registered the third-highest score as...

New Delhi, July 19 (Ians) Despite their outstanding past performances, Australian cricket stars Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have been experiencing a dip in form during the ongoing Ashes series. However, their captain Pat Cummins maintains an optimistic outlook regarding their future prospects.

Both Smith and Labuschagne have struggled to make significant contributions in their 12 innings so far with only one notable score stands out, which is Smith’s impressive first-innings century at Lord’s.

Smith’s outstanding Ashes average of 59.68 (65.08 in England), which included an incredible 774-run series in 2019, has witnessed a decline to 31.66 as the series progressed to Old Trafford. Similarly, Labuschagne’s initial average of 45.86 has also dropped significantly to 24.00 during the ongoing Ashes series.

“I think both of those guys may have moved their hotel pillows into the nets over the last couple of days, the amount of time they’ve been spending in there. They’re...

Old Trafford (Manchester), July 18 (Ians) Fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green and pace Josh Hazlewood made their return as Australia announced their Playing XI for the fourth match of the ongoing Ashes 2023 series, with visitors to go into a Test without a specialist spinner for the first time in over a decade.

Scott Boland and Todd Murphy make way for Green and Hazlewood from the side that lost by three wickets at Headingley.

Fit-again Green, who missed the Leeds Test with a hamstring injury, has been listed to bat at seven, behind Mitch Marsh at No.6, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey to come in at No.8 as the Aussies rejigged the balance of their side to squeeze in their two all-rounders.

Marsh struck a blazing century in Leeds to guarantee his spot, leaving Murphy as the fall guy with Green coming back into the side to give captain Pat Cummins five pace bowling options.

Manchester, July 18 (Ians) Australia captain Pat Cummins expects David Warner will play in the fourth Test at Old Trafford as the visitors are aiming for a victory that would secure the Ashes and prevent the series from going to a decider.

Warner has made 141 runs from six hits this Ashes series and his place at the top of Australia’s batting order has come under scrutiny after his twin failures in Headingley Test, falling victim to Ashes nemesis Stuart Broad in both innings for 4 and 1.

“I think Warner has been going really well. I thought at Lord’s, he was really impressive. Last week, like many of us, he probably didn’t contribute as much as he would have liked with the bat,” Cummins said.

“He’s been out there over the last couple of days putting in a lot of work, but I think this tour he has shown...

Manchester (England), July 17 (Ians) Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja revealed that he went directly to the International Cricket Council (Icc) top brass to raise the issue of slow over-rate punishments.

Last week, the Icc made an announcement regarding alterations to over-rate sanctions in Test matches. This decision came after substantial penalties were imposed following the World Test Championship (Wtc) final between Australia and India, as well as the subsequent first Ashes Test.

In addition to players being fined 40 per cent of their match fees after both Australia and England were found to be two overs behind at Edgbaston Test, the two teams were then also docked two Wtc points each.

Amid discontent from both Australia and England, Khawaja directly contacted the Icc’s general manager Wasim Khan. The governing body then altered the rules after a chief executives’ conference in Durban, according to Cricket.com.au website.

“I was pretty frustrated with what was happening.

New Delhi, July 13 (Ians) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has offered his perspective on the ongoing discussion surrounding the selection of David Warner and said the veteran opener has done enough in the past to warrant another chance.

Warner has made 141 runs from six outings in this Ashes series and his place at the top of Australia’s batting order has been further questioned after he failed twice during the most recent Test that England won in Headingley when dismissed by long-time nemesis Stuart Broad on both occasions.

While captain Pat Cummins has already come out and said Australian selectors will consider all options when settling on their XI for the crucial fourth Test, Ponting is inclined to stick with Warner.

“I know there’s been a lot of chat the last couple of days since the end of Headingley and it’s more the fact that it’s Broad that’s getting him out,...

New Delhi, July 13 (Ians) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has offered his take on the ongoing discussion surrounding the selection of David Warner in the fourth Test of the ongoing Ashes 2023, saying that the veteran opener has done enough in the past to warrant another chance.

Warner has made 141 runs from six hits this Ashes series and his place at the top of Australia’s batting order has been further questioned after he failed twice during the most recent Test that England won in Headingley when dismissed by long-time nemesis Stuart Broad on both occasions.

While captain Pat Cummins has already come out and said Australian selectors will consider all options when settling on their XI for the crucial fourth Test, Ponting is inclined to stick with Warner.

“I know there’s been a lot of chat the last couple of days since the end of Headingley and it’s...

New Delhi, July 13 (Ians) Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has questioned Pat Cummins over the utilisation of spinner Todd Murphy, emphasising the necessity to provide the young off-spinner with greater opportunities.

Murphy was brought into the team for the third Ashes Test as a direct replacement for the injured Nathan Lyon, but his contribution was limited to a mere 9.3 overs throughout the match, resulting in just a solitary wicket.

Taylor believes Murphy needs to be utilised more frequently by Cummins or drop him altogether for the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

“It’s very tough. I would’ve liked to see him bowl before lunch, and I don’t mean one over before lunch, I thought three or four before lunch when we got those couple of wickets and Ben Stokes came straight to the crease.

“I think you’ve got to bring your spinner in early to give them...

London, July 12 (Ians) Mitchell Starc has expressed his intention to rely on his own strengths throughout the ongoing Ashes 2023 series, rather than attempting to emulate the approach of players like Pat Cummins and altering his own methods.

The 33-year-old took six scalps at Lord’s to lead Australia to a 43-run win. He backed it up with seven wickets in the third Test at Headingley, including a fifer in the second innings.

In Ashes 2019, Starc was mainly overlooked for his high economy rate. He had appeared only at Manchester, where the teams head next in this series, and claimed four wickets in the victory at Old Trafford, but he felt it had a detrimental impact on his game that lingered when he returned home.

“There was a big (focus) on economy rates last time which plenty of guys spoke about throughout the tour, and we all bought into that. And...

Leeds, July 9 (Ians) Though Rain wiped out the first two sessions on Day Three of the ongoing third Ashes Test at Headingley, it didn’t stop the action from moving at a frenetic pace in the one session of play possible on Saturday.

In the end, England reached 27/0 at stumps in a chase of 251 after their bowlers made good use of the overcast conditions to bowl out Australia for 224. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley remained unbeaten on 18 and 9 respectively for England to leave the required runs to 224.

Resuming from 116/4 and with their lead at 142 runs, the total could have been a lot less for Australia if Travis Head hadn’t struck a magnificent 77 in conditions that were very tricky for batting.

Chris Woakes (3-68) dismissed first-innings centurion Mitchell Marsh (nicked behind) and Alex Carey (chopped onto his stumps) in quick succession, while Mark Wood (3-66) took out Mitchell Starc and...

London, July 4 (Ians) The contentious dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on final day of second Ashes Test at Lord’s has undeniably heightened the tensions between England and Australia, intensifying the already fiercely competitive atmosphere of the Ashes 2023 series.

Both the captains have already shared their opposing views on Bairstow’s dismissal. Stokes was sceptical about the whole incident and clarified that he wouldn’t have wanted to “win a game in that manner”.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins, on the other hand, offered an entirely contrasting view to his England counterpart, saying “It was totally fair play. That’s how the rule is.”

England coach Brendon McCullum was left frustrated by the incident and declared post-match that “he can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer any time soon” with the Australia players. Australia coach Andrew McDonald hit back, calling the comments ‘disappointing’.

The controversial dismissal also received significant criticism from the British media,...

London, July 2 (Ians) When it mattered the most for England, captain Ben Stokes dished out yet another heroic and stunning 155 in the pursuit of chasing 371. But it was not enough for the hosts to avoid a 43-run loss to Australia on a thrilling fifth and final day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

Resuming the final day on 114/4, Stokes and Ben Duckett (83) added a further 63 runs before the former fell to Josh Hazlewood just after the first hour of the morning session was over.

Jonny Bairstow was run-out in controversial circumstances for 10, as wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw the ball at the stumps after the batter wandered out of the crease while avoiding a bouncer, leaving England at 193/6, with the crowd booing Australia and some confrontational scenes happening in Long Room at lunch break.

In between, Stokes went for an ultra-attacking approach with the bat, reaching his...